ST CHARLES - The Interstate 70 Blanchette Missouri River Bridge westbound closure and detouring will start in two weeks, but significant impacts to motorists will occur this weekend. The Missouri Department of Transportation will close three lanes on the eastbound I-70 bridge from 8 p.m. Friday, October 19 until 5 a.m. Sunday, October 21. At least two eastbound lanes will remain open to traffic throughout the weekend.

The ramps from northbound and southbound Fifth Street to eastbound I-70 will also be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, Oct 19 until 8 a.m. Saturday, October 20 for safety reasons with the I-70 work zone. Motorists can take Veterans' Memorial Drive to Route 94 to access eastbound I-70.

Crews will be restriping the eastbound I-70 bridge to six lanes in preparation for the bridge to handle both directions of I-70 traffic starting the first weekend in November. Before morning rush on Monday, October 22, the normal five lanes of eastbound I-70 will be open to traffic.

The work is done in preparation for the closure of the westbound I-70 Blanchette Bridge the first weekend of November. The bridge will remain closed for less than one year. The eastbound I-70 bridge will be used to carry three lanes of traffic in each direction. Immediately off the end of the bridge there will be pavement in the median to move the three westbound lanes back over to the normal westbound pavement.

Motorists are advised to use alternate routes to eastbound I-70 this weekend during the lane closures. Route 370 and Route 364 provide nearby alternate Missouri River bridge crossings. MoDOT asks motorists to slow down and watch for workers present in work zones. For more information about the I-70 Blanchette Bridge rehabilitation project, visit the project website at www.modot.org/blanchettebridge.